Aspectos Salientes

New Generation of Investment Policies for Sustainable Development

The aim of the courses is to give delegates from Permanent Missions an opportunity to become better acquainted with topical issues and developments on the international economic agenda as they are reflected in UNCTAD's work.

The secretariat invites Permanent Missions to nominate delegates who follow matters pertaining to UNCTAD or the World Trade Organization in Geneva to attend these courses.

Foreign investment is one of the key drivers of economic development and globalization. One way in which countries worldwide seek to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) is through the conclusion of international investment agreements (IIAs). More than 3,000 IIAs exist today covering around 2/3 of global investment flows but at the same time constituting a complex regime with important challenges ahead in order to ensure the achievement of sustainable and inclusive development goals.

This short course aims at raising awareness about the new UNCTAD Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD) and the concrete options it offers to policy makers for the design and negotiations of IIAs that effectively promotes sustainable development and inclusive growth. It proposes to strengthen IIAs development dimension through pursuing clear and explicit clauses, balance of investors rights and obligation including corporate social responsibility principles and safeguarding policy space through among others, coherence with other public policies (e.g. climate change, labor, health).